Easy Weeknight Spaghetti

Not only is this recipe very tasty and the perfect thing to serve for dinner after a long day, but this dish is also very economical. The whole dish costs around $2.50 to make (using mainly home brand ingredients) and only takes about 15 minutes. 

• 440 g can of diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 gm Spaghetti pasta, dry
• 2 cloves of garlic
• small bunch of fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp. Chilli flakes
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Step 1. Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted water, until al dente (or cooked to your liking).

Step 2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add chopped garlic and chilli flakes. Stir and be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 3. When the garlic browns slightly, add the basil and canned tomatoes. Fill the can up halfway with water and pour this in as well. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently until the pasta has finished cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4. Drain the spaghetti and transfer it to the pan with tomato sauce and stir. Serve with extra basil on top.

Notes

1. If you don't have spaghetti, you can use a different type of pasta like Penne or Spirelli.

2. Fresh Basil can sometimes be expensive, you can use dried basil instead. I often like to buy it fresh when it's on sale and store it in the freezer, as I find it freezes quite well for using in things like sauces. If you're a green thumb, you can also try your hand at growing some.

3. You can, if you wish, also serve with Parmesan cheese, this will although increase the cost of this dish.